One-piece clip and load side terminal strap

ABSTRACT

The combined fuse clip and terminal strap is a single piece of metal punched in the flat to provide a body portion with arms extending laterally from opposite sides of one end of the body and terminal straps extending laterally from opposite sides of the opposite end of the body. The arms are bent generally normal to the plane of the body to form clips for resiliently clamping onto a fuse received therebetween. The straps are bent about form lines at 45* to the length of the body and 90* to each other so they both lie in face to face juxtaposition with each other and with one strap juxtaposed firmly and resiliently in face to face contact with the face of the body opposite the clip arms. The other strap is juxtaposed firmly against the under face of the first strap. The one of the straps juxtaposed against the body has bosses protruding in the same direction as the clip arms for centering a conducting wire to be connected to the terminal straps. The body and straps have aligned openings through which extends a screw which is in threaded engagement with the body for clamping the combined clip and terminal strap to a supporting base.

e 1 amie [72] lnventor lltollil lll. llfiindlller FOREIGN PATENTS 090"], 104,315 4/1926 Austria 339/258 I21] Appl. No. nsawn [22 Filed Sept 22, 1969 Primary Exammer-R|chard E. Moore [45] Patented Sept. 7, 119711 At 0rneys-John l-l. Leonard and Harold J. Rathbun ]73] Assignee Square it) Company Mm mmge ABSTRACT: The combined fuse clip and terminal strap is a single piece of metal punched in the flat to provide a body portion with arms extending laterally from opposite sides of one end of the body and terminal straps extending laterally from [54] UNEWWCE CUP AND LOAD SHINE TEWHNAL opposite sides of the opposite end of the body. The arms are AP bent generally normal to the plane of the body to form clips for resiliently clamping onto a fuse received therebetween. n l 5 D It C mms rawuw figs The straps are bent about form lines at 45 to the length of the llLS. .r and 90 to each other so they both in face to face jux- 339/259 taposition with each other and with one strap juxtaposed lint. and resiliently in face to face ontact the face of 9/ 1 2 the body opposite the clip arms. The other strap is juxtaposed IFIRBMI 0f SWITCH! A, against the under face of the first strap The one of the 272 259 217, 253 262 F, 214 straps juxtaposed against the body has bosses protruding in the same direction as the clip arms for centering a conducting (56] References wire to be connected to the terminal straps. The body and UNITED STATES PATENTS straps have aligned openings through which extends a screw 1,344,728 6/1920 Shively 339/258 which is in threaded engagement with the body for clamping 3,335,399 8/1967 Rys 339/272 X the combined clip and terminal strap to a supporting base.

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PATENTEDSEP nan $603,916

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3/1 770/?NFX This invention relates to a one piece fuse clip and terminal strap to be used on the load side of switches or other electrical devices; for example, with a switch such as disclosed in US. Letters Pat. hlo. 3,240,888 of Rys et 211., issued Mar. 15, l966, entitled Electricai Switch With Interlocking Mechanism. The terminal strap is secured to an electrical connector, preferably of the type shown in [1.5. Pat. No. 3,133,781, of Rys et al., issued May 19, 1964, and entitled Electrical Connector, but it can be used with other switches and connectors.

Heretofore, fuse clips and terminal straps have been separately formed and secured in assembled relation with a face portion of the fuse clip juxtaposed on the top face of the strap, and the assembled fuse and strap clamped together and to a molded insulating base by a single screw. Generally in such prior clips, the screw is threaded only into the clip which then acts as a clamp to clamp the terminal strap firmly between the clip and base for forming the electrical connection between the clip and strap and for supporting them on the base. As a result the connection between the clip and strap depends upon the holding power of the screw. in many instances the base on which the clip and strap are mounted shrinks upon aging with the result that the electrical connection between the clip and terminal strap loosens.

In accordance with the present invention, the clip and terminal strap are made in one piece so that loosening of the screw does not in any way affect the electrical connection between the strap and the clip.

Furthermore, a strap and clip made of one piece of sheet metal by punching and bending of the sheet metal in accordance with the present invention is very economical to produce, and is very compact and effective in operation.

Various specific objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description wherein reference is made to the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a clip and strap combination embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of a clip and strap combination as illustrated in lFlG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a right side elevation of the clip and strap illus trated in N65. i and 2, and showing it connected to a terminal connector and to a portion of a supporting base;

FIG. d is a top plan view of a blank of sheet metal cut to the proper outline for folding and bending into the combined clip and strap shown in lFllGS. ll through 3; and

MG. 5 is a left side elevation of the connector used in the present invention, the body being shown in section for clearness in illustration.

Referring to the drawings, the combined clip and terminal strap is shown mounted on a base ll of insulating material. The clip and strap combination is a one-piece structure formed of a flat sheet of relatively stiff, but slightly resilient metal punched to provide a preselected outline and then folded into final form.

The clip and strap comprise a body 2 having lateral integral arms 3 at the opposite edges, respectively, of one end, and integral terminal straps 5 and ti, respectively, extending laterally from the opposite edges, respectively, of its other end.

The arms 3 are bent and shaped to receive a fuse, indicated at F, therebetween and hold it firmly in clamping relation. If desired, a suitable spring S may be provided to increase the clamping pressure of the arms 3.

The strap 5 is connected at its inner end to the body 2 along a form line 7, and the strap 6 is connected at its inner end to the body 2 along a form line ti. In the final product the straps 5 and b are bent along the form lines, respectively, so as to dispose both of them so that part way of their length they are in underlying relation to the body and extending lengthwise thereof, and for the remainder of their length they extend beyond the end of the body opposite to the end portion to which they are connected.

lln the form illustrated, the strap 5 is first bent along the form line 7 back under the body 2 so that it lies in firm face to face juxtaposition with the underface of the body 2. The strap 6 is bent along the form line fl so as to underlie, in firm face to face juxtaposition, the underface of the strap 5. Thus the terminal strap is composed, in effect, of two leaves in firm resilient face to facejuxtaposition with. each other.

The body 2 is provided with an opening 9 and the straps 5 and 6 are provided with openings ll il and ill, respectively. These openings are in alignment with each other for receiving a screw l2. At least one of the openings is internally threaded complementary to the screw 112. In the form illustrated, the threaded opening is the opening 9 in the body 2. The screw T2 is used to mount the combined clip and terminal strap on one face of the base l and draw it firmly thereagainst with the clip arms 3 exposed outwardly from the base l for receiving the fuse F in snap-fastening relation therebetwecn.

At least one of the straps, and preferably the strap 5, has bosses M on the face facing in the same direction as the face of the body 2 from which the clip arms 3 extend. The bosses Ml are spaced apart from each other in a direction laterally of the straps for centering therebetween a conductor to be attached to the strap.

The strap 5 also has a widened portion 15 which provides a lug for facilitating connection of the terminal strap to a connector 21] such as illustrated.

The connector 2h comprises generally a U-shaped rigid body of conducting material. The body 2 has spaced arms 21 and 22. The arm 21 is provided with a slot 23 and the arm 22 is provided with a slot 2 1. These slots are arranged to coact with a clamping element 25, as described in the above US. Pat. No. 3,133,781. The clamping element 25 can readily be installed therein and held in place by virtue of the clamping effect of a screw 26 bearing on a conductor disposed between the bosses lid of the terminal strap 5.

As mentioned, the terminal strap 5 has a lug l5 on one side and the connector 21) is provided with slots 27 and 28, respectively, positioned so that when the straps 5 and 6 are mounted within the connector, the lug 115 is received in either one of the slots 27 and 2% simply by inserting the straps endwise into the end of the connector 20 while the strap is disposed edgewise to the base, or parallel to the arms 21 and 22 of the connector, and then turning the straps about their longitudinal axis to dispose the lug in one of the slots 27 OR 28 and the underface of the strap 6 into firm juxtaposition with the face of the connector 2i). This assures the proper positioning of the strap in the connector and prevents accidental endwise withdrawal therefrom.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that a very effective one piece fuse clip and terminal strap combination is provided which can be produced economically and has the advantages heretofore set forth.

Having thus described my invention, l claim:

1. A one-piece sheet metal fuse clip and terminal strap comprising a body;

clip arms integral with the body and extending from the lateral edges, respectively, of the body at one end of the body and an abrupt angle to one face of the body and spaced apart from each other llaterally of the body for receiving therebetween a fuse with its axis extending endwise of the body;

a strap at the other end of the body and comprising two strap portions integral with the body at said other end and extending endwise of the body back toward and beyond said one end of the body, one strap portion, part way of its length, having one of its faces in firm face to face juxtaposition with the other face of the body and the other strap portion being in firm face to face juxtaposition with the other face of said one strap portion.

2. The structure according to claim ll wherein the body, arms, and strap are composed of a single sheet of relatively stiff and resilient sheet metal and said strap portions are held in firm face to face juxtaposition by the inherent springiness of the metal.

3. The structure according to claim 1 wherein said body and strap portions have aligned holes therein, respectively, for accommodating a connecting screw for connecting the body to a supporting base, and the wall of at least one of the holes being threaded with a thread complementary to the thread of the screw.

4. The structure according to claim 1 wherein said one strap portion has bosses on its said one face spaced endwise of the strap from said one end of the body and protruding in the same direction as the arms.

5 The structure according to claim 1 wherein said body at said other end joins the two strap portions along form lines extending at to each other and each at 45 to the length of the body, so that, by bending the strap portions along said lines, the strap portions lie in said juxtaposed face to face relation.

6. The structure according to claim 1 wherein at least one strap portion has a lug portion spaced from the body and wider than the portions of the strap adjacent to it and providing a lug for facilitating connection of the strap with an electrical connector. 

1. A one-piece sheet metal fuse clip and terminal strap comprising a body; clip arms integral with the body and extending from the lateral edges, respectively, of the body at one end of the body and an abrupt angle to one face of the body and spaced apart from each other laterally of the body for receiving therebetween a fuse with its axis extending endwise of the body; a strap at the other end of the body and comprising two strap portions integral with the body at said other end and extending endwise of the body back toward and beyond said one end of the body, one strap portion, part way of its length, having one of its faces in firm face to face juxtaposition with the other face of the body and the other strap portion being in firm face to face juxtaposition with the other face of said one strap portion.
 2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the body, arms, and strap are composed of a single sheet of relatively stiff and resilient sheet metal and said strap portions are held in firm face to face juxtaposition by the inherent springiness of the metal.
 3. The structure according to claim 1 wherein said body and strap portions have aligned holes therein, respectively, for accommodating a connecting screw for connecting the body to a supporting base, and the wall of at least one of the holes being threaded with a thread complementary to the thread of the screw.
 4. The structure according to claim 1 wherein said one strap portion has bosses on its said one face spaced endwise of the strap from said one end of the body and protruding in the same direction as the arms. 5 The structure according to claim 1 wherein said body at said other end joins the two strap portions along form lines extending at 90* to each other and each at 45* to the length of the body, so that, by bending the strap portions along said lines, the strap portions lie in said juxtaposed face to face relation.
 6. The structure according to claim 1 wherein at least one strap portion has a lug portion spaced from the body and wider than the portions of the strap adjacent to it and providing a lug for facilitating connection of the strap with an electrical connector. 